by Katie Reus
She appreciated that he didn’t go any higher. She’d known they’d have to act as lovers tonight but that didn’t mean he’d get liberties she wasn’t willing to give. Something she’d made clear with him earlier. He’d given her a look that said he hadn’t planned to do anything anyway. Which made her like the male even more. Not in a sexual way, not even close. But…he really was just a nice male.
Arlette laughed, surprising Natalia. “I had to try. One of these days we will get you into bed with us.” Her blue eyes twinkled mischievously.
In response Niko bent down, gently raked his teeth against Natalia’s neck. The act was intimate but one she’d been prepared for. He was telling everyone here that she was his. At least for the moment. “Not tonight,” he said, in what Natalia thought was an indulgent tone as he raised his head and looked at Arlette.
A low growl to her left made everything inside Natalia go still. This was supposed to be a peaceful party, but her animal instinct told her danger was near. Too many scents surrounded her to be able to sift through all of them.
Swiveling, she lost her breath.
Aldric stood ten feet away from them, his grayish-green eyes pure wolf. She felt as if she’d been sucker punched as she drank in the sight of him. She felt greedy, as if she couldn’t get enough of seeing him in the flesh. A little over six feet tall, the male was broad and muscular, with so much strength humming through him it was almost a palpable thing. His dark hair was still military short, a soft buzz she’d fantasized about running her hands over more than once. Even though he was a shifter and healed quickly, scars still nicked all over his body. Savagely handsome with a wicked edge to him, he was the type of male it was hard to look away from.
Right now, he was staring at Niko with a look that promised death on the near horizon.
Chapter 4
Aldric tried to shove his wolf back down but failed. Miserably.
Natalia stood next to a male vampire. One Aldric knew. Liked. But the male’s hold was possessive, protective, and Aldric’s primal side was barely controlling the urge to kill.
Natalia stared at him, dark eyes wide, clearly surprised to see him. She wore a bright red strapless dress that made her stand out, highlighted her natural beauty. It wrapped around her lithe body, leaving little to the imagination. The full mounds of her breasts looked as if they were about to spill out. Which made his wolf all sorts of possessive. He wanted to strip it off her, to claim her—mark her—so that this fucker knew she was his.
So that everyone knew she was his.
He’d saved her once, months ago, from being killed by two asshole vamps who thought they were avenging their maker’s death. They’d become friends, but he’d wanted so much more it clawed him up inside. He’d gotten glimpses of sexual interest from her occasionally but it was so muted it was difficult to tell.
Until the last day he’d seen her. She’d wanted to come with him on a bounty hunting trip and he’d told her no. He’d caged her in against her front door and had to restrain himself from claiming her mouth. Because he wouldn’t have stopped at kissing.
He’d have taken what he was certain she would have freely offered. If she’d have told him no he’d of course have backed off, but he’d scented pure, unbridled hunger from her that morning.
It had taken him off guard. The scent had been addicting and he’d been at his breaking point where she was concerned. He’d had to walk away from her, from the possibility of them. He hadn’t been able to protect his first mate, wasn’t nearly good enough for Natalia. Leaving had been the only option.
Now, to see her here with another male, a male who had his hands on her… It was too much for his wolf to handle.
“Aldric.” Next to him Ursula gently touched his forearm.
He jerked his gaze to her and snapped his teeth—and realized his canines had descended as well as his claws.
The female looked at him with shock and just a touch of fear as she took a step back.
Natalia tried to push in front of the vampire…to protect that fucker? Aldric growled even deeper.
The male shoved Natalia behind him at wicked-fast speed. “What the fuck is your problem?” Niko rasped out.
Aldric was vaguely aware that much of the chatter around them had dimmed, with only a few people whispering. The music continued on, however.
“Niko, let’s just go.” Natalia’s voice was strained.
Aldric hated that he couldn’t see her. “Get away from her.” His voice came out savage, more wolf than human. He needed to get to her, make sure she was okay. Why the hell was she here with some fucking vampire? And letting that male put his hands on her? He didn’t care if he had no claim on her—the rational part of his brain was barely functioning.
Niko just tightened his jaw. “Let’s go talk somewhere private.”
Aldric’s gaze darted to Natalia’s delicate hand reaching around Niko, trying to gently tug him back.
The thin vestige of his control shredded. She shouldn’t be touching this vampire, trying to protect him.
Mine, his wolf snarled as he lunged at Niko, using all his supernatural speed to close the twenty feet between them.
Vamps and shifters fell back around them like parting waves. Niko flashed his fangs as he leapt at Aldric, his own shorter claws visible as he raised a hand in attack.
Aldric readied for a blow as he prepared to mete out his own on this stupid, stupid male who thought he could touch what was his. Yep, the logical part of his brain had stopped functioning. Natalia wasn’t his. But his wolf refused to admit it.
He was going for the male’s throat. Any amount of pain he received in retaliation would be worth it if he could rip the male to pieces, to completely destroy him.
Midair, something large and heavy slammed into him from the side, sending him flying. Snarling, he turned on his attacker, only stopping a hair’s breadth away from ripping at the male’s throat. God, he hadn’t even been paying attention to his surroundings, had only been focused on taking out that vampire.
Jayce stared down at him, pinning him to the floor. “Get your shit together.” The words were low and full of authority, his expression black.
Aldric wanted to slash at him, destroy anyone who got in his way right now. But the visible scars on Jayce’s face, put there by Aldric himself so long ago, stilled his instinct to fight. He’d made a lot of mistakes in his very long life. Attacking his brother again wouldn’t be one of them. He had so many fucking regrets. The thought of hurting his brother again brought him off the ledge.
Barely.
“She’s here.” It was all he could manage to snarl out as he fought the struggle against his wolf, the need to shift forms. He wasn’t sure why he was stating the obvious. He’d been suppressing all his thoughts about her for months, all his hunger where she was concerned. Seeing her in person had sliced through his control.
“You’re acting like a savage.” Jayce motioned behind him and Aldric knew that the vampire and Natalia were leaving, even though he couldn’t see around his brother.
“I am a savage.” Right now he felt more like one than he ever had. Just because they’d come out to humans didn’t mean that supernaturals had shed the most primal part of themselves. He certainly hadn’t.
“Not tonight you’re not.” Jayce’s voice was calm even if his eyes were pure wolf.
Aldric needed to get his shit together. They were both here for the same reason. If he’d been thinking rationally earlier he’d have realized that the only reason Natalia was here was because she was working with Jayce. Aldric hadn’t realized that Niko worked with Jayce but it made sense. He pushed out a harsh breath, his heart rate starting to even out, his desperate need to shift and attack receding. “Is she safe with him?” He needed to know. He might not be able to claim her for his own, but he still wanted her safe. Always.
A barely imperceptible nod.
That would have to do for now. The only thing he’d been able to focus on was that Niko had rak
ed his teeth against Natalia’s neck. That image was seared into his brain. When it threatened to make him go rabid again, Jayce shoved off him and pulled him to his feet.
Aldric rolled his shoulders, looking around and snarling at the partygoers. Natalia was definitely gone. Even if he couldn’t see her, her scent was too faint for her to be here anymore. He shoved back all thoughts of her, forced himself to focus on his job. Because if he allowed himself to dwell on any part of her right now he’d throw away the last of his control and head out after her.
Vampires and shifters alike went back to talking and laughing now that the would-be fight was over before it had started. It wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary for fights to break out at gatherings, not when different species were in attendance. But he didn’t like bringing attention to himself, especially at an important function like this. Normally he was a ghost.
“We’re going to talk later,” he growled to his brother. Because it was fucked up that Jayce had brought Natalia into this without telling him.
“Nothing to talk about.” Jayce tilted his chin, gesturing behind Aldric.
When Aldric turned he inwardly cringed. The Clifton coven leader and the Kinley pack Alpha were both heading toward them. He made eye contact with the Alpha, who just motioned for him to follow before turning on his heel and heading through the crowd.
Aldric was working for the Brethren and Jayce was working for The Council, which gave them both a sort of autonomy, but that didn’t mean he went out of his way to start shit in someone else’s home. It was poor form.
Because both those males were powerful. If they wanted to make his life difficult while he was investigating the disappearance of Arthur, they could stonewall him.
Jayce fell in step next to him. The crowd automatically parted for them as they headed after the two males. Aldric didn’t have to ask where Kat was. If she wasn’t with Jayce she must have left with Niko and Natalia.
The two males disappeared from sight behind an ornate door that was built into the wall. A vampire guard stepped back to let them through before closing the entrance behind them.
Aldric and Jayce were silent as they strode down a long hallway that was much darker than the ballroom they’d been in. Dim sconce lights lined the space, which ended at an open doorway.
Jayce stepped in first, Aldric right behind him, into a lavish sitting room.
“Shut the door behind you,” Elian said quietly. Lean, almost slender, the vampire leader with dark brown skin was very strong and very old. Older than Aldric and Jayce—maybe even closer to a thousand, Aldric wasn’t certain. Wearing a clearly custom-made tuxedo, he looked polished and elegant.
The polar opposite of shifter Alpha Craig Kinley, who was standing with his arms crossed over his massive chest next to a delicate-looking sitting chair. He was a bear of a man with skin darkened from the sun and covered in various scars. Unlike Elian, Craig had worn cargo pants, a T-shirt and had visible weaponry strapped to his body. Not that he’d need it in a fight. The male would simply go wolf. The weapons were more for show, Aldric guessed.
Elian’s gaze landed on Aldric’s, his amber eyes like shards of glass. “What was that out there?”
Before Aldric could answer, Jayce said, “Female problems.”
He could have answered for himself, but the way Jayce spoke for him soothed something jagged inside him. He’d missed so many years with his brother because he’d been too afraid to look for him, too afraid of the rejection he thought he would face after what he’d done.
Craig snorted and Elian’s mouth curved up ever so slightly as he nodded. “Okay.” That one word dismissed the issue immediately. “We have a problem,” he said, getting right to the point.
Aldric straightened. “You have news about Arthur?”
“No.” Elian shook his head as Craig moved to a door opposite the one they’d come in through.
Craig opened the door to reveal a tall, slender female with auburn hair and tawny skin. The male’s daughter, though Aldric had never met her in person. Dressed similarly to Craig, she stepped inside as the Alpha said, “Another one of Elian’s vampires is missing. And not just any vampire.”
“My mate,” the female said. She cleared her throat, looked at her father. “Almost mate.”
The Alpha nodded, his expression dark. “My daughter Constance was to mate with one of Elian’s highest-ranked warriors—also Elian’s nephew. Now he has disappeared as of last night.”
Aldric frowned. A Kinley female was to be mated to a Clifton vampire? This was news to him. He looked at his brother. From Jayce’s neutral expression he guessed he hadn’t known about this would-be mating either. Arranged matings still happened, but he was surprised this particular female would agree to one. Or her father. The Alpha was fierce, and from what he knew of the male, he’d never sell her off, not even for peace.
As if he read his mind, Craig pinned Aldric with a sharp look. “They’re in love. Have been hiding their relationship for some time.” Annoyance vibrated through his words.
“When it became clear the two of them planned to mate, regardless of what we wished,” the vampire leader interjected, giving Craig a wry look, “we decided it’s time to officially end our feud. With a union like this, it will be a blood bond between our people. It’s…time.” He ran a hand over his face, the action very unlike the polished vampire Aldric had spoken with in the past. “With issues arising in this new world on a near-constant basis, we can’t infight with each other anymore. It’s not smart for business.”
“My…Darius never would have left me or his coven. Something has happened to him,” Constance said.
Her father nodded in agreement, even though his jaw was clenched tight. “She’s correct. The vampire male would never abandon her.”
Elian nodded as well.
“So two of your strongest people have disappeared in the last week?” Jayce looked between the two leaders.
Two solemn nods.
“Any leads on Darius?” Aldric asked. He was already investigating Arthur’s disappearance and if these two disappearances were related, he’d be adding this to his job.
“Recent evidence has suddenly appeared, potentially linking me to Arthur’s disappearance,” Constance growled, rage infusing her words. “It’s weak at best, but I found his blood in the back of my SUV. I went immediately to my father and Elian to tell them about it. I know Arthur so I recognized his scent. I’m not hiding this from you guys, but it’s bullshit. So it could be that someone is trying to frame me for Arthur’s disappearance, or at least throw suspicion on me, at the same time my mate is…kidnapped, or worse.” Her voice broke on the last word.
Her father reached out, squeezed her shoulder once. It seemed to steady the female as she set her jaw and straightened.
Aldric looked at Jayce before he focused on the others. “Let’s sit down and go over what you know.” It was going to be a long night and while he wanted nothing more than to get to Natalia and talk to her without acting like a savage, this job was important.
If something ignited a war between these two powerful leaders, it would hurt both their species. And the fallout with the humans could be catastrophic.
Chapter 5
Natalia gave up the pretense of sleeping. It had been hours since she and Niko had returned to the shifter-run bed-and-breakfast. She still couldn’t believe how violent Aldric had been.
On the bounty hunting missions she’d gone on with him, he’d always been so calm about everything. Even when others got violent against him, he’d been almost… Not exactly passive, but focused, intense. He’d bag his “prey,” as he called the people he was hired to bring back, then be done with it.
Tonight he’d been a big jackass.
She slid out of bed, not bothering with the bedside light. She’d left her drapes open so moonlight bathed the room in pale beams. It wasn’t a full moon, but it was close enough and the sight of it illuminating the darkness always calmed her lupine side.
Human myths about wolves needing to shift at a full moon or being forced to shift under one were just that—nonsense. Something most humans would know by now since shifters and vampires had come out to the world. But she still liked the moon, felt free running under it or even just looking at it. Something to do with her biology. When she was wolf things were simply better. Easier.
Kat had come back with her and Niko after Aldric’s insane display, but Natalia didn’t want to bother her friend right now. She slipped out into the hall, listened. All was quiet so she headed down the stairs, intending to make her way to the kitchen.
The owner of the B&B was a jaguar shifter and rented to supernatural beings only so there was no worry about any humans being around in case… Well, just in case something happened that human eyes didn’t need to see. And record with their stupid freaking cell phones. They liked to put everything on social media.
As she reached the foyer she heard a faint rustling and peeked into the living room. Niko was sitting on a chaise longue, an e-reader in his hand.
“I would have thought you’d prefer paperback.” She stepped into the room as he set it in his lap.
His smile was easy. “I can carry thousands of books at once. Humans hit the mark with this invention.” There was a softness in his voice that surprised her.
“You like humans.” She stepped farther into the room and perched on the edge of one of the tufted wingback chairs near him.
He nodded. “I do. Very much. They have such short, finite lives but some pack more into fifty years than I’ve seen my own kind do in hundreds. It’s…inspiring.”
She felt the same, and for some reason was glad he did too. “You sound like my sister, Gloria.”
“So, what brings you down here at one in the morning?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“I’m waiting for Jayce.”
Oh, right. She shrugged. “I can’t sleep. I…don’t know what was wrong with Aldric.” For some reason she felt the need to apologize for him, to explain that he normally wasn’t like that. It didn’t make sense for him to go all caveman alpha.
